The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-11-03
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
GATE CHASE SPRAGUE AND HER
STAGE STRUCK DAUGHTER.
Roscoe Conkiing and His Futurc-What
Ben Butler Makes at Law and Spends
In Politics-Roger A. Pryor and His
Carccr-EdgertOn and Oberly.

In Politics-Roger a. Pryor and His
Carccr-Edgerton and Oberly.
Special Correspondence
WASHINGTON, Nov Mrs Kate Chase
Spraguc will be in America by the time this
letter is published. Shc intends to return to
the United States FOR good, and she says she
feels like an exile while she is in Franco. Her
property Hear horc has become worry valuable
from the great rise in suburban real crtato in
Washington. II is called Edgcwood and tho
house commands n fine Wow OF tho Capitol
and the Potomac. II is an old fashioned
mansion, but is large and roomy, and ID
would be just the thing for tho country seat
of a statesman | understand that tho prop
erty will be offered for sale, but it may be
that the steady rise OF suburban property will
lead Mrs Spraguc to hold OF to it. Mrs.
Spraguc was wrapped up in her father, Chief
Justice Chase, and Edgewood was his country
home Tho sentiment connected with it
would lead her to retain it. but it is very
doubtful whether she can afford 1t.
Several Years ago she was not in the best OF
circumstances, and | found in an antiquity
store on Third avenue, New York, silver
pitcher and a couple OF silver canlclahra
which the dealer told me belonged to Mrs
Spraguc and had been left by her to be sold.
She had, perhaps, during her great social
reign as manv beautiful things as any woman
III the United States and at the auction which
took place at Canonchct after she first left for
France q single cabinet sold which cost
her 81 800 This was formerly the property
of Marie Antoinette, and among the other
things sold were q number Of Mrs. Sprague's
personal effects, even to her pincushion. Had
such an auction taken place i'll Washington
the articles would have sold for their full
value. Washingto has throng OF steady
auction rocrs, and the sales Of the effects of
Statesmen l,ring such high prices that when
an auction is held cheap imitation stuff is
sometimes sInugglcd in and sold for several
times its original price to the highest bidder.
Ethel Sprayuc tho daughter of Mrs. Kate
Chase Spraguc, proposes to go on tho stage.
She has studied for it, both in Franco and in
England, and Henry Irving has promicd
her that he will give her all the assistance he
can She wants to be tragedienne and her
greatest ambition is to personate Lady Mac
beth Ethel Spraguc is now is years old.
She is tall. dark and beautiful. She las
pretty teeth, and her figure is as evenly
rounded as that of the Venus de Melos. She
is full of enthusiasm, and she says her mother
has consented to allow her to become an
tltlItSS. Mis-. haitc NileAoo oGA tA6uN "OeAiA
have made an accomplished actress herself,
and her life during her fathers campaign for
tho nomination to the presidency was per
haps as trying as that of any woman who
has attempted to portray the character Of
another Her life has been one series of trag
cdies She was the queen of Washington So
ciety while she remained in it, and no one dis
putel her right to the position. She ruled
nearly every statesman with whom she came
in contact.
BY the way, saw Senator Conkling in
New York this week. He is hale and hearty
and he weighs twenty -five pounds more than
he did when he left the United States senate.
His golden locks have, however, turned to sill
Yer, and the curl which hangs over his fore
head is Us white as the driven snow.
caught only glimpse of him, but it seemed
to me that he had lost some of the dudish airs
he affected at Washington, and lie was,
though well dressed, more carelessly attired
than have ever seen him. He wore rough
blue sack coat and his head was crowned with
q military SLOUGH He coins, l understand,
from $4,000 to 100000 yearly, but he
mourns doubt not, for the fleshpots of pol
tiles No statesman who has had the adula-
ton showered upon him which has fallen to
the lot of Senator Conkling can be content
with the humdrum life of a lawyer Tho
almighty dollar is a god which fails to sat
isfy such men, and Conkling's friends hopc
that some occasion will thrust him again into
tho swim He has only one chance,
SO cx-Postmastcr General Creswell says,
of becoming a political leader. This
chance would arise should some great issue
come before the country, and Conkling, by
his wonderful cloqucncc, be noted its
lnn,1,r Ihic Iyp1lI h1VO to Inv Strll,-
ing one. and one which would swallow up
persons in principles. A war with Great
Britain or some other power might furnish
such chance, and the people becoming in
fatnated with their side of the struggle, again
make Il hero of their leader, Lord Roscoe 1t
is wonderful how Conkling's friends stick to
him. and | have been surprised in travelling
over the United States to find how widely
scattered are his admirers. They say they
would support him for president If he were
nominated today, and they proclaim that
with all his abilities he is the honestest states
man in the country. 1t is true he has failed
once but his friends claim that he did not
want to return to the senate, and that no re-
signed for good
Speaking of money making, Ben Butler
makes probably as much as any other public
man who has left politics for the law. 1Io
makes 100000 year, 1t Is said, and makes
it easily. His property hero in Washington
has increased in value SO that it was appraised
the other day at 1927 900, or g. GOO moro than
the amount at which he offered to sell it to
the government two years ago. Ho probably
put it low then on account of being very hard
up as the result of his presidential campaign.
Butler is n very liberal man in politics, and
he has spent several fortunes in keeping him
self before tho people. His gubernatorial
campaigns cost him 500, 900 apiece, ct least
one of his closest friends estimate them at
this, and he mortgaged tho property which
he offered to sell the government for $4,000
in order to get tho ready money to carry on
his last presidential campaign. Still Butler
does not worship money, and he docs great
deal of work for nothing know of q num-
Der of poor women whom he has helped by
trying their cases for nothing. Butler has
the most dcceiving form of any man in
public life. He weighs about $50 pounds,
and has look of grandmotherly ease about
him. You would not judge that he cvcr hur-
ried, or that he cared to do anything but sit
in big arm chair and read, chat or laugh
Still he is one of the hardest working lawyers
:,, 10 fol nd In Gail <l,o<